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Queensland feature next for Not An Option

After watching runners struggle through the testing track conditions in the first race at Randwick on Saturday Kiwi trainer Tony Pike was relieved the decision had been made to scratch the promising two-year-old Not An Option from his planned assignment on the day. Temporarily in the care of Rosehill trainers Richard and Michael Freedman due to the current Covid-19 inspired conditions that restrict Pike from travelling to Australia, the Not A Single Doubt colt was set to have his first run back ...

Boom horse Kinane to step out in Queensland

The Chris Waller-trained Kinane will carry the weight of expectation when he contests the Gr.3 Gunsynd Classic (1800m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday, but the talented three-year-old will have to overcome the outside barrier in the field of 16. The son of Reliable Man has been one of the talk horses of the autumn, exacerbated by a multi-million dollar offer from Hong Kong following his impressive victory in the Gr.3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Randwick in April. Waller elected to bypass the Gr.1 So...

Our weekend runners 22.05.2020

13:30 Race 1 ATC Darley 2YO H., A$100000 1300m             Not an Option (AUS) 2017 (C. by Not a Single Doubt-Chintz) (R & M Freedman) 16:55 Race 7 BRC Gunsynd Classic Gr.3, A$115000 1800m             Kinane (NZ) 2016 (G. by Reliable Man-Tres Rapide) (trainer: C J Waller) 17:21 Race 7 Newcastle JC Hungerford Hill Wines H., A$31500 1300m &...

Queensland an option for Curraghmore graduate

A Group One assignment in Queensland is in the offing for talented two-year-old Not An Option if he performs well at Randwick on Saturday. Owned by a prominent group of New Zealand racing and breeding identities, including Cambridge Stud principals Brendan and Jo Lindsay, Not An Option will have his first start for new trainers Richard and Michael Freedman in the Darley 2YO Handicap (1300m). The son of Not A Single Doubt has been lumped with the topweight of 60kg but his trainers are confident o...

Moroney looking to summit Everest

Michael Moroney believes he has the mare to “knock the bastard off”. Last start Gr.1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) heroine Tofane has made a real impression on the trans-Tasman trainer who is eyeing a possible tilt at The Everest (1200m), the world’s richest turf race, at Randwick in the spring. “We are just waiting for them to confirm prizemoney for The Everest,” Moroney said. “We might attack that, which does change a lot what you do in the spring. “On the fresh side she would be comp...

Kinane well-prepared for Queensland campaign

Quality three-year-old Kinane looks to be on track for a two-start Queensland campaign with the Chris Waller-trained gelding pleasing in a Rosehill trial on Friday.   The son of Reliable Man finished fourth in a 1030m heat under a quiet James McDonald ride. “He was really good,” McDonald said. “He was pretty fresh. He bounced out well and travelled pretty kindly over that unsuitable trip and quickened up beautifully. “He has had a good blow but he is very well within himself and I w...

Lisdoonvarna looking for Randwick win

Lisdoonvarna will be the stable flag bearer for Amanda Turner at Randwick on Saturday and the trainer is hoping the consistent mare can prove a worthy advertisement. Turner and Mauro Poletti dissolved their partnership late last year in the hope a revised business model would attract more clients. "A lot of people thought we didn't want outside horses because we were training in a partnership and bought a lot of our own horses," Turner said. "I'm hoping things will start turning around. It is ve...

Kinane not for sale

Several media agencies are reporting that a $2.8 million offer has been rejected for Curraghmore graduate Kinane.  The promising three-year-old stayer burst onto the scene with an impressive win at Wyong last month and he repeated the dose in last Saturday’s Gr.3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Randwick, impressing ratings experts and jockey James McDonald. The Chris Waller-trained gelding has won two and finished second twice in four career starts.   Connections met on Friday to discu...

Curraghmore a proven source of Group winners

The Championships in Sydney have been compulsory viewing for many during the COVID-19 lockdown with the success of New Zealand exports, both equine and human a welcome diversion.One viewer celebrating over the weekend was Curraghmore's Gordon Cunningham. Two of his farm’s graduates Tofane (Ocean Park – Baggy Green[AUS]) and Kinane (Reliable Man[GB]-Tres Rapide) raced away with group race spoils winning the Gr.1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) and Gr.3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m) respectively.“It wa...

Manolo Blahniq set for Hawkesbury Cup tilt

It has been 22 months since Manolo Blahniq last raced in Sydney but Mornington trainer Tony Noonan is looking forward to the gelding's return to Rosehill. Noonan is planning to send Manolo Blahniq north for Saturday's G.3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1500m) which is to be run at Rosehill. Manolo Blahniq's most recent Sydney appearances were in a three-start campaign at Rosehill between May and June 2018 when he notched a win, a minor placing and ran fifth in the Listed Civic Stakes. Six-year-old Manolo ...

Weekend Wrap Up: 20.4.2020

The sun was shining at Curraghmore on Monday and it was apt that a rainbow appeared over the paddocks where Saturday's Group winners Tofane (Ocean Park x Baggy Green) and Kinane (Reliable Man x Tres Rapide) were raised. The Michael Moroney-trained Tofane was crowned queen of Randwick winning the time honoured All Aged Stakes (1400m) with a last-stride lunge to the line in the Group One feature. Tofane’s win continued a stellar season for multiple Group One winner Ocean Park who grabbed headli...

Tofane secures Sydney Group One

New Zealand-bred mare Tofane has crashed Pierata's farewell party with a last-stride win in the Gr.1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday. Pierata ($5.50) gave his rivals the slip halfway down the straight with Tofane ($12) the one to give chase. Under hard riding from Kiwi hoop Opie Bosson, Tofane gave her all to nail Pierata by a half head, with Fasika ($12) in third. Three-year-old colt Super Seth was gallant when running on to finish fourth after missing the start by half a length...

Kinane wins Frank Packer in style

Mick Kent's judgment about Kinane's ability has been vindicated and fellow trainer Chris Waller is the beneficiary with the three-year-old an impressive Group Three winner at Randwick on Saturday. Victorian handler Kent had planned an extended break from training to travel overseas and dispersed his horses to various trainers with Reliable Man gelding Kinane ending up with Waller in Sydney. Kent's working holiday has been scuppered by the global Covid-19 pandemic but he kept a share in Kinane, w...

Tofane coming of age in Sydney

New Zealand-bred mare Tofane will be shooting for her first elite-level victory when she lines-up in the Gr.1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday. It will be the daughter of Ocean Park’s fifth consecutive tilt at Group One level and trainer Michael Moroney is confident of another bold showing this weekend. Since campaigning in Sydney, Tofane has placed in the Gr.1 The Galaxy (1100m) and was a game fifth behind Nature Strip in the Gr.1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m). “She had won a barri...

Seventh Seal secures second win

Three year-old Fastnet Rock gelding Seventh Seal is hard to miss with his big white face. The eye-catching individual notched up his second win from just three starts when scoring a dominant victory at Goulburn on Thursday. Trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, Seventh Seal was sent out favourite despite having a wide gate and 60.5 kg to carry, but got the job done in style. Bred by Raffles Dancers, Seventh Seal was a $250,000 Karaka purchase for the China Horse Club, Newgate Farm, Winstar partners...

Weekend Runners- 17.4.2020

Good luck to connections of all CM grads running over the weekend including the following:AUSTRALIA FRIDAYSunshine Coast Turf Club- Race 6 Pablo's Tex-Mex Caloundra H., A$21000 1200m Got My Thrills (NZ) 2016 (F. by Iffraaj-Blueberry Hill) (trainer: S W Kendrick) AUSTRALIA SATURDAY Randwick- Race 4 Frank Packer P. Gr.3, A$141500 2000m Kinane (NZ) 2016 (G. by Reliable Man-Tres Rapide) (trainer: C J Waller)                  Race 5 Champagne S. Gr.1, A$39...

All eyes on Not An Option

Not An Option will be carrying the weight of his stable when he contests the Gr.1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday. The promising two-year-old has become the only active runner for Cambridge trainer Tony Pike and he is hoping his charge can deliver on Saturday. The son of Not A Single Doubt pleased his connections with his first-up effort in Australia when placing in the Gr.3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) at Randwick a fortnight ago and Pike said he has pulled up well since that ru...

Tofane gets another G1 chance in All Aged

Talented mare Tofane will line up in her fifth-straight Group One race in the All Aged Stakes (1400m) on Saturday with trainer Mike Moroney hoping this time she can break through. The All Aged is the signature event on the Randwick program which brings Sydney's Group One carnival racing to a close. Tofane went closest to a Group One win two starts ago when a narrow third in The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill. Either side of The Galaxy the four-year-old was seventh in the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) a...

Weekend Runners: 11.4.2020

Good luck to connections of all the CM grads running this weekend including: AUSTRALIA SATURDAY Randwick: Race 6 Australian Oaks Gr.1, A$614500 2400m Aspect Ratio (AUS) 2016 (F. by Declaration of War-Poste Restante) (trainer: J G Sargent)                  Race 9 Coolmore Legacy S. Gr.1, A$614500 1600m Unforgotten (AUS) 2014 (F. by Fastnet Rock-Memories of You) (trainer: C J Waller) Caulfield: Race 8 Anniversary Cup Gr.3, A$128750 1400m Manolo Bla...

Weekend Wrap Up- 6.4.2020

Curraghmore graduates once again performed with distinction over the last three days. The performance of the weekend came via Tofane who finished a running fifth in the Gr.1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday. It was her fourth consecutive run in elite company which is no easy feat and Saturday’s field was considered to be the strongest seen in the TJ Smith Stakes for some years. Tofane drew wide and travelled wide, she was back to last on the turn and flew home in the straight ta...

Champagne Stakes an Option for classy juvenile

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike was pleased with the efforts of classy juvenile Not An Option after he ran on late to finish third in the Gr.3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday. “I was rapt with the run and 1100m is well short of his best,” Pike said. “It was always going to be a touch sharp for him from that draw (7). We had to go back to last and he has closed well outside. “It looked like a very testing track over there today, so it’s very encouraging going forward. �...

War Frontier scores maiden win

A good dose of patience from trainer Tan Kah Soon was well rewarded with War Frontier (NZ) (Declaration of War) getting off the mark at his seventh start in Singapore on Friday night. The Malaysian handler had always held the Mark Treloar-bred son of Declaration Of War in high opinion as a two-year-old last year, but the penny didn’t quite drop in three runs. A gelding operation didn’t quite yield the expected improvement at his new three-year-old campaign when running unplaced in the Saas F...

Stamina to play into Tofane’s favour

Valuable mare Tofane is set to tackle Saturday’s Gr.1 T.J. Smith Stakes (1200m) for trainer Michael Moroney, with the daughter of Ocean Park targeting further black-type after placing in the Gr.1 Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill last start. The Group Three-winning mare is out of Baggy Green, a three-quarter sister to Group One winner Funstar and a half-sister Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) winner Youngstar, a filly Moroney was under-bidder on at the yearling sales. Narrowly beaten by I Am Excited las...

Weekend Runners- 3.4.2020

Good luck to connections of CM grads running this weekend including:AUSTRALIA FRIDAY Canberra Race 4 Seppelt Maiden H., A$20000 1000m Seventh Seal (NZ) 2016 (G. by Fastnet Rock-Episode) (trainer: P & P Snowden) SIngapore Race 2 Maiden P., S$75000 1200m War Frontier (NZ) 2016 (G. by Declaration of War-Bay Star) (trainer: K S Tan)                 Race 6 Class 4 H., S$50000 1200m Beer Garden (NZ) 2016 (G. by Proisir-There's No Doubt) (trainer: Zl Mok) AU...

Horse of the Year comeback deferred by two weeks

Fans of Singapore Horse of the Year I’m Incredible will have to wait a little longer before they can see their favourite horse back at the races.They had been rubbing their hands in anticipation when Shane Baertschiger’s superstar was entered to run first-up in this Friday’s Class 1 race over 1200m on Polytrack, but he was unfortunately pulled out on vet grounds on Wednesday.The Australian trainer reassured it was nothing serious, just precautionary, and the Lope De Vega five-year-old will...